LAHORE (May 15 2009): Textile industry, assured to be exempted from load shedding, will have to face load shedding for five hours daily till May 19, sources disclosed here on Thursday. According to the industry sources, Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has informed the industry that the exemption is being suspended for the time being due to rising demand with the increase in temperature.

Pepco would have a load shedding schedule of five hours, starting from 8:00 pm to 1:00 am daily for industrial consumers till May 19. It may be noted that Pepco was already managing burden by observing six hours load shedding for domestic consumers.

The Pepco officials, when contacted, said that the exemption to the industry is being withdrawn due to rising demand of electricity with the increase in temperature. The mercury was rising continuously over the last few days, which has caused to increase the use of air conditioners in general as well.

Pepco is constantly taking steps to manage the electricity shortfall, which remained 1,249 MW on May 13, for which load management was carried out. The electricity demand went up to 13,064 MW against 4,470 MW during the corresponding period last year. Meanwhile, some press reports have suggested that the electricity shortfall has touched to figure of 2,500 MW and the load management for nine hours is being carried out at present.

Furthermore Aptma sources said that the Indus Regulatory System Authority (Irsa) has not released water in dams in full capacity yet, which is also hampering the hydel power generation. However, they added that the hydel power generation will be improved substantially after May 19 and exemption will again be extended to the industry afterwards.

It may be noted that the electricity was over 30 per cent of the conversion cost in spinning sector industry and it has already crossed 40 per cent of the conversion cost for organised waving sector. Already, about 30 percent of the textile industry has been closed due to power crisis and consumption of electricity on B-3 connections has reduced to about 100 units presently from over 800 units in late 2007